PREAMBLE The Governments of the Republic of South Africa, the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Republic of India (hereinafter, referred to in the singular as "a Party" and jointly as "the Parties"); RECOGNISING the emergence and consolidation of the Global Information Society and wishing to strengthen South-South co-operation, the three countries acknowledge that joint efforts and collaboration will position them as active players in helping to direct the Global Information Society towards democratic values, development and social inclusion; HIGHLIGHTING the strategic role of information and communication technologies (lCTs) in the promotion of social and economic development; DESIRING to promote co-operation on fuformation Society and Development in accordance with their respective national legislation and on the basis of equality and mutual benefit; RECOGNISING the necessity of diverse co-operation in the field of ICTs; CONSIDERING leTs as essential tools to job-creation, economic growth, and poverty eradication; CONSIDERING that the developnlent of ICTs will promote and contribute to trilateral trade and exchange of technologies, as well as the economic and social development of the three countries; INTENDING to promote and exchange experiences and to enhance close co-operation in the field of ICTs; CONSIDERING that the strengthening of national ICT industries is essential to promote competitiveness of the three national economies and to boost national capabilities in foreign trade; EMPHASISING the urgent need for joint action in combating the fast growing Digital Divide not only between developed and developing, but also within countries, and recognising that the Digital Divide widens other social divides, such as the income, educational, scientific and cultural; TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the outcome of the Brasilia Meeting of 12 and 13 February 2004; the Agenda for Co-operation and the Plan of Action, adopted in the first Meeting of the Trilateral Commission of the IBSA Dialogue Forum (New Delhi, the 4th and 5th March 2004); and the Ministerial Communique of the second Meeting of the Trilateral Commission of the IBSA Dialogue Forum (Cape Town, the loth and 11 th March 2005); HEREBY AGREE as follows: